UBC Sauder BCom student Yui Mikuriya named Canada’s Co-op Student of the Year

Yui Mikuriya, a graduating UBC Sauder BCom student in Business Technology Management with a minor in Data Science, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 CEWIL Canada Emery-Dufault Student of the Year Award, recognizing her outstanding impact across multiple co-op work terms in global technology companies.  

Out of an estimated 100,000 Canadian university co-op students, Yui stood out for her innovation, leadership and global contributions. The significant recognition marks only the second time a UBC student has won this national award in its 31-year history.  

Spending half her childhood in Japan and half in France, Yui's international perspective has shaped her approach to business and technology.  

Throughout her time at UBC Sauder, she has worked at some of the world’s most prestigious tech companies, including Apple, Microsoft (twice), Adobe and Plaid, in Canada and Japan—working in three languages: English, French and Japanese. 

Phil Seo (left), Co-op Program Associate Director, UBC Sauder Business Career Centre, expressed immense pride in Yui’s (right) success.

“Yui is such an inspiring ambassador of our UBC Sauder Co-op program. Our vision is to build a UBC Sauder Co-op community, and Yui has given back so much of her time and energy to help junior Co-op students advance down their unique career paths,” he says. “After getting to know Yui and her university story well through the CEWIL award nomination process, I can say that she is an incredibly determined, hard-working and humble student who is really living a purpose-driven life to help others around her succeed. She has a heart of gold.”  

Building confidence in a new environment 

For Yui, winning Canada’s Co-op Student of the Year Award was both surreal and deeply meaningful. 
 
“A few years ago, I came to Canada alone from Japan for university,” she shares. “Growing up in France and Japan, I often felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere. But when I arrived at UBC Sauder, I found a welcoming community of students, faculty and staff who made me feel like I belonged.” 

Reflecting on her co-op journey, Yui describes it in three words: challenging, empowering, impactful.  

Yui (second left) with her fellow co-op students at Microsoft.

“In second year, I was very shy and nervous to find work terms, so I found it really challenging to actually land a co-op term,” she says. “But eventually, as I gained more confidence, I was able to create more impact. And after that, I felt ready to try and empower others to chase their own dreams.”  

 
Impacting communities through technology 

One of the highlights of Yui’s co-op experience was her time at Apple Japan, where she worked as a Partner Account Manager in the regional sales team. When her recruiter at Apple first asked her what she wanted to achieve, she had a bold vision: “I really wanted to bring better technologies to regional Japan and empower young people to access better opportunities,” she recalls. 
 
Apple trusted her to lead daily communication with electronics stores and contribute to long-term strategic planning—something she found both thrilling and rewarding. As a student and an Apple user herself, Yui brought a fresh perspective, transforming her personal story into actionable sales strategies that empowered frontline workers across Japan.  

Giving back and creating global impact 

Beyond her work terms, Yui has dedicated herself to supporting others in their career journeys. She has spent 1,500 hours mentoring students, co-leading UBC Sauder’s LIFT program which has supported 1,350 African entrepreneurs and even redesigning the curriculum of core second-year business courses to help students connect their classroom learnings with real-world business challenges. 
 
Her drive to create impact extends internationally. In 2024, she co-founded Y&Y Journey, an organization that helps student navigate work-integrated learning opportunities in Japan’s tech industry.  

Over 100 students have already benefited from the workshops she and her team have developed.

“I had the chance to talk to one student who told me that before coming to our workshop, they had no idea they could pursue these kinds of opportunities,” Yui says. “After attending, they felt much more confident—and they ended up finding different pathways to landing their dream internship. That was so rewarding for me.”

Looking ahead

As Yui prepares to graduate this May, one thing is certain—her story is just getting started.

"My co-op experiences helped me figure out that I want to start my career in tech and work on long-term strategies that drive meaningful change," Yui reflects. Beyond career aspirations, Yui is deeply motivated by giving back to students. "I've seen firsthand how the right opportunities can enable students to accomplish incredible things. I want to keep creating and expanding those opportunities to make a lasting difference."

Yui (centre) with her team during her work term at Adobe

Her journey serves as an inspiration to students across Canada, demonstrating how work-integrated learning can open doors to transformative experiences and global opportunities. 

“Yui’s journey is incredible. She’s not only excelled in some of the world’s top tech companies, but she’s also used her experience to lift others up—whether it’s mentoring students, shaping curriculum or driving innovation,” says Darren Dahl, Dean at UBC Sauder. “Her passion, resilience and global mindset embody everything we hope to instill in our students at UBC Sauder. We couldn’t be prouder of her, and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.”

Congratulations, Yui on this well-deserved recognition!